Low-fuel alarm



Aug. 3,1926. l `1,594,806

, fD. B. WILLIAMS LOW FUEL AL-ARM Filed March 2l akten-mq i the fuel claimed.;

Patented Aug. 3, 192.6.

.DICK` .'B. WILLIAMS, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO Vl'. GOUDEN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Laatste ear ai* eri-tier..

Conni/ran, or

Low-FUEL ALARM. Y

Application led March 21, 1924. Serial No. 700,939.

This invention relates to low fuel alarms or signals having special utility in automobile fuel supply systems to warn the driver of the necessity of replenishing his fuel supply.

To that end the invention contemplates7 a simple, practical, and reliable device which may be readily applied toautomobile fuel supply systems of the vacuum type wherein is elevated from a tank at the rear of the automobile, intermittently in increments by the vacuum produced in the intake manifold of the engine. In that connection the invention contemplates a construction which may be readily and quickly applied to fuel systems already installed without the necessity of involving expensive or complicated alterations.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which operates directly in conjunction with the vacuum created in the usual vacuum tank of` a standard type of vacuum fuel supply system.

lVith the above and other objects in 4view which willrnore readily appear as the Anature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novelconstruction, .combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view illustrating the application of the invention.

Figure 9. is a vertical sectional view illustrating the novel circuit closer device.

Figure 3 `is an enlarged detail sectional view of the main fuel supply tank showing the low fuel level indicating means.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic viewV of a modification.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding partsl through-out the several gures of the drawings- As previously indicated the present invention is primari-ly designed to be employed inconnection with a standard type of vacuum fuel supply system which includes a main tank T located usually at the rear of the automobile, and a combined vacuum pump and auxiliary tank A which is connected with the main tank T by a feed line B. The auxiliary tank A is connected with the carburetor C by a pipe-line D and is also connected to the intake manifold M of the engine by the usual vacuum or suction tube E. At the point where the auX- iliary tank is equipped with the liller plug F it is proposed toinsert a novel. circuit closer device whereby it will be responsive to the vacuum formed in the tank A intermittently'to draw fuel from the tank T into the auxiliary tank. The circuit closer device l preferably operates in Yconjunction with a lamp 2 or equivalent signal which is a part of an electrical circuit ,3 that includes the storage battery A or other source of electric energy. The lamp 2, or its equivalent, may be located in any convenient position within the view or range of the driver and is intended to be intermittently operated under normal conditions by the vacuumfwhich exists at intervals in the auxiliary tank A, but when the fuel supply reaches a predeterminedlow level it is intended thatthe lamp shall glow at longer intervals,rand in fact, substantiallycontinuously.

To attain that result the'end ofthe fece pipe B which con'iinunica'tes with the tank T'v is especially equipped to properly ineicate the desired low level of fuel in the tank. That is to say, the extension portion B which is positioned within the tank T is preferably flattened out at itslower end indicated at 5, and at a predeterminedl point above the lower' constricted end, the body of the pipe is provided with lateral openings or holes 6. l`\lorinally.y the fuel in the tank will cove-r these holes and therefore the vacuum tank A will pull fuel through the constricted open end 5 as well theV openings 6. However, when the fuel drops to the level ofthe openings, the vacuum in the tank A will persist for a longer period due to the fact that the fuel will be drawn up through the bottom of the pipe Shy the rush of air through the poles 6 but in greatly reduced volume,` thereby taking a much longer period to replenish the reservoir in the pump A and consequently causing the lam-p 2 to beV illuminated for a longer period of time. It will, of course, be understood that the area of the holes 6-6 isless than the area of the restricted open end 5 of the pipe, thereby permitting fuel to be drawn to provide a proper proportion between the said respective openings whereby the suction actuated element of the circuit closer will properly operate; while on the other hand as already noted the size ortotal area of the hole 6-6 must not be ytoo large in proportion to the opening or supply source at the bottom of the feed pipe, otherwise the circuit closer would act but the gas supply would fail. Consequently, the proper rela.- t-ive proportion between the size of the holes 6 and the vent hole in the filler cap of the fuel supply or storage tank T, and the opening or hole at the bottom of the pipe B in the said tank are important considerations in the practical carrying out of the present invention. It is by reason of this feature 'of the invention that the same provides for giving a warning or signal for a definite and arbitrary reserve of fuel, and after giving this warning or signal the apparatus continues to function in ,supplying fuel automatically and without change of any partsor without any manual adjustment` for the predetermined arbitrary period.

The circuit closer device 1 may be of any desired constiuction, but' a practical and reliable embodiment is shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, wherein it consists of an outer casing or shell 7 and an inner Vvacuumresponsive plunger 8.v The outer shell 7 is preferably provided with 'a threaded nipple portion 9 for fitting into the usual filler opening of the auxiliary tank rA and is also formed with a constricted bore 10 thereby providing an interior abutmentv wall 11 against which one end of the compression spring l2 may rest. This spring 12 is housed within the tubular shank portion of the piston or plunger 8 and normally maintains the same pr-oiected outwardly7 the outward movement of the plunger 8 being limited by a stop bracket S. `It will, therefore, be understood that the spring 12 normally maintains the plunger .in an outwardly advanced location whereby lthe head 13 of the plunger or piston is spaced away from the end of the outer shell 7 A contact collar 1-1 isk clamped to the upper edge of the shell 7 and insulated there- `from by an insulation sleeve or ring 15, V6() while the screw 16 which clamps the collar in position also serves as a binding terminal for a wire of the circuit 3 which connects the collar with the lamp. As previously explained the said circuit 3 includes the lamp 2 and the battery 4', the latter being groundedto the frame or other part of the automobile as usual therebyV rendering allV of the metallic parts of the circuit closer device, except the collar 14, also a part of the ground of the circuit 3. Therefore, when a vacuum is created in the tank A and 'exhausts the air from the chamber of the hollow piston orV plunger which houses the spring 12, kthe head 13 of the piston will engage the contactcollar 111- and temporarily close the circuit to the lamp 2 thereby to provide a transient signal of a duration cor-- responding to the duration of the vacuum in the tank A. Under normal conditi-ons the period ofthe vacuum is short, but under the condition of low fuel as previously explained, the vacuum is prolonged thereby giving a prolonged and substantially continuous warning signal..

Without furtherv description it is thought that the distinguishing,r features of the invention will Vbe clear so that it will be understood that modifications in the arrangement of theparts may be resorted to without departingl from the invention.l For instance, as suggested in the diagrammatic view, Figure 5, the circuit closer device designated in its entirety by the numeral 1 instead of being fitted directly to the crown or head of the vacuum tank couldwith advantage be mounted on and in the line of the feed or suction pipe B between the tank T and the vacuum pump orv tank A. ySuch an arrangement of the circuit closer in the line of the suction pipe between the fuel tank T and a,

the vacuum pump or tank A will be particularly advantageous in those installations in which the vacuum pump A is provided with a strainer at the terminus of the suction pipe B connecting therewith, because with the circuit` closer 1 located between said strainer andthe tank T the eliicacy of the signal will not be impaired'due topartial interruptions of the vacuumA through the action of said strainer. Furthermore the modified arrangement shownin Fig.` 5 may be more convenientv in some installations, and the functioning thereof remains the same as when fitted directly tothe vacuum pump or tank.

Other modifications and changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims. 5 y

I claim:- i' Y f A 1. A low fuel alarm of the class described, including in combination with the Vvacuum tank and fuel tankof afvacuum fuel supply system, a circuit closing device in communication with the vacuum tank so as to be subiected to the presssure,V therein, said device having a signal controlling element actuated by the suction, a signal renderedoperative and inoperative by said signal controlling element, and means for causing the signal to be noticeably prolonged When the fuel supply has fallen beloW the reserve.

2. A loW fuel alarm of the class described, including the vacuum tank and fuel tank of Y a vacuum fuel supply system, a signal, and

means cooperating with said system for causing the signa-l to be operated intermittently at short intervals during the normal functioning of the vacuum system when the fuel supply is above a predetermined reserve level, and to be maintained for noticeably longer intervals When the fuel supply has fallen below said reserve level.

3. A low fuel alarm for vacuum fuel supply systems including in combination with the vacuum tank and fuel supply tank, a suction actuated circuit closing device inserted in the system in communication With the vacuum tank so asto be subjected to the vacuum therein, an electric signal circuit included in said device, and means whereby the circuit closing device Will be operated intermittently at short intervals during the normal functioning of the system When the fuel supply is above a predetermined reserve level, and to be maintained for noticeably longer intervals When the fuel supply has fallen belovv said reserve level, said means including av feed pipe extension in the fuel supply tank having supplemental openings arranged at a predetermined distance above the inlet to said pipe and of less area than the latter. f

4. A lovv fuel alarm of the class described including the vacuum tank and fuel tank, of a vacuum fuel supply system, a circuit closer operated by suction, means whereby the circuit closer may be operated intermittently for periods of different duration, said means including a feed pipe extension arranged in the fuel supply tank and having lateral openings arranged at the predetermined loW fuel level, and the end of said pipe being flattened to provide an inlet or relatively constricted size or of a greater area than said lateral openings.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiix my signature.

DICK B. WILLIAMS. 

